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Sunday, 26 May 2019

1. I have been reading a number of e-mails and have come across numerous cases where ECHS beneficiaries are facing difficulties because they are not aware of the procedures laid down for treatment in ECHS empanelled hospitals. May I request you to pass this information on to as many of our veterans to prevent inconvenience to them when they need treatment through ECHS.

2. The guiding principles are as under:-

(a) In case of an ailment and a beneficiary requires any treatment, both OPD or IPD, report to the nearest ECHS Polyclinic.

(b) As far as possible, *avail treatment in an ECHS empanelled* hospital as it ensures cashless treatment, thus avoiding financial burden on the veteran.

(c) Wherever possible, proceed to the empanelled hospital only once the OIC Polyclinic has spoken to the empanelled hospital concerned and obtained a confirmation that a bed is available, if admission is required.

(d) If the empanelled hospital demands any cash from the beneficiary, bring it to the notice of the OIC Polyclinic and the undersigned, so that necessary action can be taken to resolve it immediately.

(e) If the beneficiary wants any planned *treatment* to be carried out in a *non- empanelled hospital* for any reason, then the following needs to be obtained before the treatment commences:-

(i) *Diagnosis* of the treating doctor with an *estimate* of the *cost* of treatment

.(ii) *Approval* of the service *specialist.*

(iii) *Approval* of *MD,* ECHS.

(f) However, in case of an *emergency,* an ECHS beneficiary can go to *any hospital and get treated.* The nearest *Polyclinic* should be *informed within 48 hours*, so that the necessary *Emergency Information Report* can be raised. Conditions that can be considered as emergency have already been elaborated in the ECHS policy letters uploaded on our website.

3. I do agree that *non-availability of medicines* has been a problem in ECHS. ECHS has to obtain all its medicines through the Armed Forces Medical Services and despite our best efforts, there are delays as AFMSDs and SEMOs of MHs have to follow the Defence Procurement procedures for medicines. The proposal for a *pilot project on outsourcing* of pharmacy operations of ECHS has not been sanctioned as yet. However, whatever funds are required by the Armed Forces Medical Services for provision of medicines to ECHS Polyclinics are being provided by Central Org, ECHS to the office of DG AFMS. *Concerted efforts are being made* to improve the compliance level of supply of medicines.4. Some of the other benefits that have been recently granted to ECHS beneficiaries are as under:-

(a) *Travel by air in* case of an *emergency*, if no other mode of transport exists.

(b) *Reimbursement of ambulance* charges.

5. Some of the other highlights are as under:-

(a) Over 120 *new polyclinics* have been operationalised over the last year and a half and most of these are in remote areas.

(b) *Revised scales of equipment* for ECHS polyclinics has been issued by the Govt and the office of DG AFMS has been approached to procure the same at the earliest.

(c) All polyclinics have been sanctioned a *generator* each so that equipment like Dental Chairs can function even when there is no power supply.

(d) 10 Regional Centres have already gone *on-line for bill processing*. This has speeded up the processing of empanelled hospital bills as also brought in transparency.

(e) 117 hospitals have been empanelled in the last one year with ECHS. Special attention is being given to *Mumbai and Coimbatore* so that we can have some hospitals empanelled at both these stations.

6. May I also request our *veterans not to spread false propaganda* like the one on a maximum ceiling of Rs 25,000/- for treatment in ECHS. There is no truth in this.

7. The health of the veterans is the concern of ECHS and so long as I am its MD, it will be my The health to address each one personally. Please do make my mobile No 8527794678 known to everybody, Sir. It will also be nice if the veterans can mention their mobile No whenever they send a mail so that I can personally speak to them and redress their grievances.

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